This image was created by Gemini based on the first paragraph of this post. Every empire, however, tells itself and the world that it is unlike all other empires, that its mission is not to plunder and control but to educate and liberate.-Edward W. Said I come from a long line of settler-colonizer ancestors who … Continue reading The Legacy of Settler Colonialism: It’s Personal
genealogy
The Overlap of Family & US History
With US Thanksgiving quickly approaching (23.11.23) and as one of the more eccentric members of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants (GSMD), I thought this might be a good time to share this meme, the kind that people post like to post, again and again, in genealogy Facebook groups. (Full disclosure: Genealogy is one of … Continue reading The Overlap of Family & US History
Family Ties to New England
Rockport, Maine During an early summer trip to the US, we spent a few days visiting friends in Maine via Boston. Knowing my interest in genealogy, one friend joked about my settler-colonizer ancestors resting eternally in the cemetery near his house. After doing some research, his comment turned out to be half-in-jest. Some distant cousins … Continue reading Family Ties to New England
Telling Truth in All its Complexity
When I mentioned to an acquaintance in the southern U.S. state of Georgia that I shared some strands of DNA with a family of slaveowners there, he replied that I am "living proof of evolution to a higher state of being!" While that simple truth put a smile on my face, it also offers a … Continue reading Telling Truth in All its Complexity
A Vietnamese tradition inspires a genealogical journey
Here's my latest essay for VNExpress International. In it I mention a December 2021 article From New England to Vietnam: Settler Colonialism in Cross-Cultural Perspective that was published behind a paywall. Since VNExpress doesn't include links to other sites, follow this link to another blog post to read it free of charge. Photo courtesy of … Continue reading A Vietnamese tradition inspires a genealogical journey
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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